Taiwanese Breakfast Rice Rolls 飯糰

My mother first introduced us to these breakfast rolls on a chilly Saturday morning. The chewy texture of the glutinous rice and the flavorful fillings made this my instant favorite. Many years later, The Husband and I made a trip to NY where he tried it for the first time and was instantly hooked. 

If you are ever in Taiwan, you will find food carts with large wooden buckets of hot steamy rice and about 20 different fillings that you can choose from. I had to replicate these rice rolls at home and used this recipe as a guide. 

Ingredients

2 cups sweet rice

1 cup regular white rice

6 eggs, beaten

1 tsp, vegetable or canola oil

¾ cup chopped dried radish

¾ cup pork sung (dried shredded pork)

1 Chinese doughnut stick, cut into 6 pieces

Cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Mix sweet rice with white rice and cook the grains with a ratio of 1 cup rice to 0.8 cups water in rice cooker. When the rice is done, allow it to simmer for another 20 minutes. * If you have a sweet rice setting on your rice cooker, use that setting.

2. Crack the eggs into a bowl and stir with a fork. Pour beaten egg mixture into wok or frying pan and make a pancake-like omelette.  When cool, slice into strips.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and stir-fry the dried radish to bring out the fragrance. Add a little sugar to taste to reduce saltiness.

4. Bake the Chinese doughnut stick until crispy based on instructions on bad (if frozen).

5. Spread Saran wrap over an round flat plate. Place a single cup of rice onto the plastic wrap and spread the rice out into an thin, even layer. On top of the rice, place two tablespoons of dried pork sung and two tablespoons of radish, then add the egg and donut stick as well as cilantro if desired.

6. Use the plastic wrap to close the rice roll and shape the roll into a cylinder.

7. Press until firm and set.

8. Serve these rolls with the plastic wrap on.  Makes six servings.

These are perfect on-the-go breakfast snacks since they are portable. They are also great for kids! Now we can enjoy these treats at home until our next trip to Taiwan. 

Have a great Monday! We're off to Europe soon and can't wait to share with you our gastronomic adventures when we return.